Additively manufactured swirler mount interface for gas turbine engine combustor

ABSTRACT

A component for a gas turbine engine, the component according to one disclosed non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure includes an additively manufactured wear surface.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 62/023,359, filed Jul. 11, 2014.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a gas turbine engine and, more particularly, to additive manufactured wear components for combustor components.

Gas turbine engines, such as those that power modern commercial and military aircraft, include a compressor section to pressurize airflow, a combustor section to burn a hydrocarbon fuel in the presence of the pressurized airflow, and a turbine section to extract energy from the resultant combustion gases.

The combustor section includes a multiple of circumferentially distributed fuel nozzles and swirlers in communication with a combustion chamber to mix fuel with the pressurized airflow. Although effective, the fuel nozzles and swirlers are relatively complicated to manufacture.

The fuel nozzles typically includes a wear surface to protect the fuel nozzle from heat as well as material wear at interfacing areas with the swirler which may also include a wear surface. Typical construction of these details requires assembly of many components as well as welding and/or brazing.

SUMMARY

A component for a gas turbine engine, the component according to one disclosed non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure includes an additively manufactured wear surface.

A further embodiment of the present disclosure includes, wherein the additively manufactured swirler wear surface is on a nozzle guide.

A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes a capture plate mounted to a guide housing to retain the nozzle guide, the capture plate mounted to the guide housing to retain the nozzle guide such that the nozzle guide is movable with respect to the guide housing.

A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes a fuel injector at least partially in contact with the additively manufactured swirler wear surface.

A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes a nozzle tip of the fuel injector, the nozzle tip at least partially in contact with the additively manufactured swirler wear surface.

A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes an additively manufactured fuel injector wear surface on the nozzle tip.

A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes, wherein the additively manufactured swirler wear surface is on a fuel injector.

A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes, wherein the additively manufactured swirler wear surface is defined around a fuel injector axis.

A combustor for a gas turbine engine according to another disclosed non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure includes a multiple of swirlers; a multiple of fuel injectors, each of the multiple of fuel injectors extend at least partially into one of the multiple of swirlers at an interface area, an additively manufactured swirler wear surface located at the interface area to accommodate wear from relative movement between each swirler and the associated fuel injector.

A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes, wherein the additively manufactured wear surface is on a nozzle guide of each of the multiple of swirlers.

A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes a capture plate mounted to a guide housing to retain the nozzle guide.

A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes, wherein the capture plate is mounted to the guide housing to retain the nozzle guide such that the nozzle guide is movable with respect to the guide housing.

A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes a swirler outer body mounted to the swirler inner body.

A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes a nozzle tip of each of the multiple of fuel injectors, the nozzle tip including an additively manufactured fuel injector wear surface.

A method of repairing a swirler for a combustor of a gas turbine engine, according to another disclosed non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure includes additively manufacturing a material to an additively manufactured wear surface to repair the additively manufactured wear surface.

A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes, wherein the material to repair the additively manufactured wear surface is the same as a material of the additively manufactured wear surface.

A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes, wherein the material to repair the additively manufactured wear surface is different than a material of the additively manufactured wear surface.

A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes, wherein the additively manufactured wear surface is on a swirler.

A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes, wherein the additively manufactured wear surface is on a fuel injector.

A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes, wherein the additively manufactured wear surface is on a fuel injector and a swirler, the wear surfaces in contact with one another.

The foregoing features and elements may be combined in various combinations without exclusivity, unless expressly indicated otherwise. These features and elements as well as the operation thereof will become more apparent in light of the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, the following description and drawings are intended to be exemplary in nature and non-limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various features will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the disclosed non-limiting embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows:

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-section of a gas turbine engine;

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of an exemplary annular combustor that may be used with the gas turbine engine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a swirler and fuel nozzle; and

FIG. 4 is an exposed sectional view of the swirler and fuel nozzle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a gas turbine engine 20. The gas turbine engine 20 is disclosed herein as a two-spool turbofan that generally incorporates a fan section 22, a compressor section 24, a combustor section 26, and a turbine section 28. The fan section 22 drives air along a bypass flowpath and a core flowpath for compression in the compressor section 24, communication into the combustor section 26, then expansion through the turbine section 28. Although primarily depicted as a turbofan gas turbine engine in the disclosed non-limiting embodiment, it should be understood that the concepts described herein are not limited to use with turbofans as the teachings may be applied to other types of turbine engines.

The engine 20 generally includes a low spool 30 and a high spool 32 mounted for rotation about an engine central longitudinal axis A relative to an engine static structure 36. The low spool 30 generally includes an inner shaft 40 that interconnects a fan 42, a low pressure compressor (“LPC”) 44, and a low pressure turbine (“LPT”) 46. The inner shaft 40 drives the fan 42 directly, or through a geared architecture 48, to drive the fan 42 at a lower speed than the low spool 30. An exemplary reduction transmission is an epicyclic transmission, namely a planetary or star gear system.

The high spool 32 includes an outer shaft 50 that interconnects a high pressure compressor (“HPC”) 52, and a high pressure turbine (“HPT”) 54. A combustor module 56 is arranged between the HPC 52 and the HPT 54. The inner shaft 40 and the outer shaft 50 are concentric and rotate about the engine central longitudinal axis A. The main engine shafts 40, 50 are supported at a plurality of points by bearing structures 38 within the static structure 36.

Core airflow is compressed by the LPC 44, then the HPC 52, mixed with fuel and burned in the combustor module 56, then expanded through the HPT 54 and LPT 46. The LPT 46 and HPT 54 rotationally drive the respective low spool 30 and high spool 32 in response to the expansion.

With reference to FIG. 2, the combustor module 56 generally includes a combustor outer wall 60 and a combustor inner wall 62. The outer wall 60 and the inner wall 62 are spaced inward from a diffuser case 64 and a chamber 66 is defined there between. The chamber 66 is generally annular in shape and is defined between combustor walls 60, 62. The outer wall 60 and the diffuser case 64 define an annular outer plenum 76 and the inner wall 62 and the diffuser case 64 define an annular inner plenum 78. Each wall 60, 62 generally includes a respective support shell 68, 70 that supports one or more respective liners 72, 74 mounted to the respective support shell 68, 70. Each of the liners 72, 74 may be generally rectilinear and manufactured of, for example, a nickel based super alloy or ceramic material. It should be appreciated that although a particular combustor is illustrated, other combustor types with various combustor liner arrangements will also benefit herefrom.

The combustor module 56 further includes a forward assembly 80 immediately downstream of the compressor section 24 to receive compressed airflow therefrom. The forward assembly 80 generally includes an annular hood 82, and a bulkhead subassembly 84 that locates a multiple of fuel nozzles 86 (one shown) and a multiple of swirlers 90 (one shown). Each of the swirlers 90 is mounted within a respective opening 92 in the bulkhead subassembly 84.

The annular hood 82 extends radially between, and is secured to, the forwardmost ends of the walls 60, 62. The annular hood 82 includes a multiple of circumferentially distributed hood ports 94 to accommodate a respective fuel nozzle 86 and introduce air into each of the respective swirlers 90. Each fuel nozzle 86 may be secured to the outer case 64 to project through one of the hood ports 94 and into the respective swirler 90 along a fuel injector axis F. The forward assembly 80 directs a portion of the core airflow into the forward end of the combustion chamber 66 while the remainder enters the annular outer plenum 76 and the annular inner plenum 78. The multiple of fuel nozzles 86, swirlers 90 and surrounding structure generate a swirling, intimately blended fuel-air mixture that supports combustion in the chamber 66.

With reference to FIG. 3, each swirler 90 generally includes a capture plate 100, a nozzle guide 102, a guide housing 104, a swirler inner body 106, and a swirler outer body 108, each arranged along a swirler central longitudinal axis F. The capture plate 100 is mounted to the guide housing 104 to retain the nozzle guide 102 such that the nozzle guide 102 is movable with respect to the guide housing 104. Each of the multiple of fuel injectors 86—illustrated herein as a duplex fuel nozzle—may include a first inlet 120, a second inlet 122, a support 124, a mount flange 126 and a nozzle tip 128. It should be appreciated that any number of swirler body and fuel injectors components as well as alternative or additional components may be utilized herewith and that the swirler body shown is merely but one example assembly.

With reference to FIG. 4, in one disclosed non-limiting embodiment, the nozzle guide 102 may include an additively manufactured swirler wear surface 130 and/or the nozzle tip 128 may include an additively manufactured nozzle wear surface 140. The additively manufactured swirler wear surface 130 and/or the additively manufactured nozzle wear surface 140 accommodate wear from the relative movement at interfacing areas 150 (FIG. 2) between each swirler 90 and the associated fuel injectors 86 such that only the wear surface 130, 140 need be replaced.

The wear surface 130, 140 may be readily manufactured with an additive manufacturing process that includes, but is not limited to, Direct Selective Laser Sintering (DSLS), Electron Beam Sintering (EBS), Electron Beam Melting (EBM), Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS), Laser Net Shape Manufacturing (LNSM), Direct Metal Deposition (DMD) and Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF). The additive manufacturing process sequentially builds-up layers of atomized alloy and/or ceramic powder material that include but are not limited to, 625 Alloy, 718 Alloy, 230 Alloy, stainless steel, tool steel, cobalt chrome, titanium, nickel, aluminum, Waspaloy, Stellite, Titanium, Steels, Stainless Steels, Cobalt Chrome, Hastalloy X, and others. Alloys such as 625, 718 and 230 may have specific benefit for parts that operate in high temperature environments, such as, for example, environments typically encountered by aerospace and gas turbine engine components.

In one disclosed non-limiting embodiment, the additively manufactured swirler wear surface 130 may be readily additively manufactured to a conventionally manufactured nozzle guide 102. That is, the swirler 90 may be manufactured in a conventional manner and the wear surface 130 is incorporated thereafter. An additively manufactured process may thus be utilized to readily repair the additively manufactured swirler wear surface 130 once wear occurs over time. That is, material is additively manufactured to the additively manufactured swirler wear surface 130 to repair the additively manufactured swirler wear surface 130 that has become worn over time. Such repairs may result in a relatively less expensive life cost than that of a conventional sleeve replacement type swirler.

In another disclosed non-limiting embodiment, the additively manufactured swirler wear surface 130 may be readily additively manufactured as a material different than that of the swirler 90. That is, the swirler 90, or a component thereof, is additively manufactured, and the wear surface 110 is incorporated during the additively manufactured process of the swirler 90 or component thereof.

In another disclosed non-limiting embodiment, the additively manufactured nozzle wear surface 140 may be readily additively manufactured onto the nozzle tip 128. Alternatively, the additively manufactured nozzle wear surface 140 is incorporated during the additively manufactured process of the fuel injectors 86 or a component thereof.

The use of the terms “a,” “an,” “the,” and similar references in the context of description (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or specifically contradicted by context. The modifier “about” used in connection with a quantity is inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., it includes the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity). All ranges disclosed herein are inclusive of the endpoints, and the endpoints are independently combinable with each other. It should be appreciated that relative positional terms such as “forward,” “aft,” “upper,” “lower,” “above,” “below,” and the like are with reference to the normal operational attitude and should not be considered otherwise limiting.

Although the different non-limiting embodiments have specific illustrated components, the embodiments of this invention are not limited to those particular combinations. It is possible to use some of the components or features from any of the non-limiting embodiments in combination with features or components from any of the other non-limiting embodiments.

It should be appreciated that like reference numerals identify corresponding or similar elements throughout the several drawings. It should also be appreciated that although a particular component arrangement is disclosed in the illustrated embodiment, other arrangements will benefit herefrom.

Although particular step sequences are shown, described, and claimed, it should be understood that steps may be performed in any order, separated or combined unless otherwise indicated and will still benefit from the present disclosure.

The foregoing description is exemplary rather than defined by the limitations within. Various non-limiting embodiments are disclosed herein, however, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that various modifications and variations in light of the above teachings will fall within the scope of the appended claims. It is therefore to be appreciated that within the scope of the appended claims, the disclosure may be practiced other than as specifically described. For that reason the appended claims should be studied to determine true scope and content. 

What is claimed:
 1. A component for a gas turbine engine, the component comprising: an additively manufactured wear surface.
 2. The component as recited in claim 1, wherein said additively manufactured swirler wear surface is on a nozzle guide.
 3. The component as recited in claim 2, further comprising a capture plate mounted to a guide housing to retain said nozzle guide, said capture plate mounted to said guide housing to retain said nozzle guide such that said nozzle guide is movable with respect to said guide housing.
 4. The component as recited in claim 2, further comprising a fuel injector at least partially in contact with said additively manufactured swirler wear surface.
 5. The component as recited in claim 4, further comprising a nozzle tip of said fuel injector, said nozzle tip at least partially in contact with said additively manufactured swirler wear surface.
 6. The component as recited in claim 5, further comprising an additively manufactured fuel injector wear surface on said nozzle tip.
 7. The component as recited in claim 1, wherein said additively manufactured swirler wear surface is on a fuel injector.
 8. The component as recited in claim 1, wherein said additively manufactured swirler wear surface is defined around a fuel injector axis.
 9. A combustor for a gas turbine engine, comprising: a multiple of swirlers; a multiple of fuel injectors, each of said multiple of fuel injectors extend at least partially into one of said multiple of swirlers at an interface area, an additively manufactured swirler wear surface located at said interface area to accommodate wear from relative movement between each swirler and said associated fuel injector.
 10. The combustor as recited in claim 9, wherein said additively manufactured wear surface is on a nozzle guide of each of said multiple of swirlers.
 11. The combustor as recited in claim 10, further comprising a capture plate mounted to a guide housing to retain said nozzle guide.
 12. The combustor as recited in claim 11, wherein said capture plate is mounted to said guide housing to retain said nozzle guide such that said nozzle guide is movable with respect to said guide housing.
 13. The combustor as recited in claim 12, further comprising a swirler outer body mounted to said swirler inner body.
 14. The combustor as recited in claim 9, further comprising a nozzle tip of each of said multiple of fuel injectors, said nozzle tip including an additively manufactured fuel injector wear surface.
 15. A method of repairing a swirler for a combustor of a gas turbine engine, comprising: additively manufacturing a material to an additively manufactured wear surface to repair the additively manufactured wear surface.
 16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the material to repair the additively manufactured wear surface is the same as a material of the additively manufactured wear surface.
 17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the material to repair the additively manufactured wear surface is different than a material of the additively manufactured wear surface.
 18. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the additively manufactured wear surface is on a swirler.
 19. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the additively manufactured wear surface is on a fuel injector.
 20. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the additively manufactured wear surface is on a fuel injector and a swirler, said wear surfaces in contact with one another. 